linger

verb

USLING-gur/ˈlɪŋɡɚ/UKLING-guh/ˈlɪŋɡə/

Formslingers, lingering, lingered

3 meanings of linger

1
verbintransitive
To stay in a place longer than needed, often because you do not want to leave.
Like a guest who stands at the door long after saying goodbye.
Guests often linger after a good dinner.
The smell of fresh bread lingered in the kitchen all morning.
Similarstay, wait, loiter, tarry, abide
Oppositeleave, hurry, depart
2
verbintransitive
To stay alive for a long time while slowly getting closer to death.
Like a candle that keeps burning low before it finally goes out.
Some patients linger far longer than doctors expect.
The old dog lingered for weeks before it finally died.
Similarlanguish, survive, persist
3
verbidiomaticintransitive
To keep thinking carefully about something for a while instead of moving on.
Like staying on one page of a book because you keep reading it again.
Try not to linger too long on small mistakes.
We lingered on that idea before deciding what to do.
Similardwell, pause, tarry

Practice

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Origin

From an Old English word meaning to lengthen or delay. It is related to the word 'long'.